ANGER OVER allegations that an ally of David Cameron branded Tory activists “mad, swivel-eyed loons” has seen a surge of interest in the UK Independence Party.

The number of people visiting the Ukip website had grown from an average of 6,000 a day to 14,000

A party spokesman said the number of people visiting the Ukip website had grown from an average of 6,000 a day to 14,000 after Ukip leader Nigel Farage was mobbed by protesters in Edinburgh – and then to 19,000 after the explosive comments were revealed at the weekend.

It comes as surveys by ComRes and by Opinium found support for Ukip at up to 20 per cent, well ahead of the Lib Dems.

Today the Daily Express can reveal that the “loons” insult proved the last straw for Suzanne Evans and Richard Hilton, two senior Conservative councillors, who have defected to Ukip.

Last week a member of the Prime Minister’s inner circle reportedly told journalists that “mad, swivel-eyed loons” in local parties were forcing Tory MPs to take up hard-line positions on Europe and gay marriage.

Although the person making the remarks was not named, rumours emerged that it was party chairman Lord Feldman – a friend of Mr Cameron’s from his Oxford University days. Lord Feldman has strongly denied the claims.

But the row intensified anger among Tory activists who already feel alienated by Mr Cameron. It came as the influential Bow Group Centre-Right thinktank warned of a “crisis of conservatism”.

Councillors Evans and Hilton were among six Tories who last week quit the party whip on Merton Council in south-west London after disputes with fellow Conservatives.

They initially intended to serve as independents but said the loons insult had prompted them to join Ukip, which Cllr Evans said was “probably more Conservative than the Conservatives”.

She said she did not intend to follow the example of her ancestor William Morris “Billy” Hughes – Australian prime minister from 1915 to 1923 – who changed party five times.

Long-time Conservative Cllr Hilton, former leader of Merton Council’s Tory group and chairman of Mitcham and Morden Conservatives, said: “It’s not so much that I’m no longer a Conservative, but that the party is no longer Conservative. Margaret Thatcher would have been horrified by the party today."

Suzanne Evans quit as a Tory

It’s not so much that I’m no longer a Conservative, but that the party is no longer Conservative

Long-time Conservative Cllr Hilton

Comment by Councillors Suzanne Evans and Richard Hilton. They are Merton councillors who have defected to Ukip

WE RESIGNED on principle, in protest at the unacceptable way in which the local Conservative Party was behaving.

Since we resigned only one senior politician has bothered to pick up the phone to say they admire our spine – Nigel Farage.

When the ever-more arrogant and out of touch Tory supremos labelled hard-working grassroots activists “swivel-eyed loons” we decided enough is enough – time to join Ukip.

Just like the party nationally, there are too many in the Merton Conservative Party who are toothless, ineffectual and scared stiff of challenging anything except their own colleagues.

Trying to represent our constituents was like wading through treacle.

We simply could not do what we were elected to do and represent their best interests. Our biggest opposition was always from within our own party.

We knew when the Conservatives last ran the council between 2006 and 2010 that they increased council tax by eight per cent, gave senior officers massive pay rises and failed to fulfil key manifesto promises such as building a new secondary school.

Yet when they lost the election, they learnt no lessons from their defeat. We were determined not to let this happen again.

Now we are Ukip councillors we are free from the shackles of the party whip and answerable only to our residents.

This is our chance for a fresh start and a new approach to local politics.

Better a clown than a swiveleyed loon. We are glad to be leaving the Tory circus.